Car-coupling.



I. C. GRIFFITH.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED oc.1o. 1914.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

MBIA FLANUGRAPH cm, WASHING J. C. GRIFFITH.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION. FILED DEC. 10, 1914.

1,170,061. Patented Feb.1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

27 'ZQ/O JESSE GRIFFITH, OF MADISON, NORTH CARGLINA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

Application fi1ed December 10, 1914. Serial No. 876,523.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE C. GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Rockingham and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to improvements 1n car couplers and especially to that class of car couplers known as the Janney type.

The primary object of the invention 1s, the provision of a car coupler, the draw-heads of which will'be retained in position should the draw-bar of one of the cars accidentally be separated from the draw-heads. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a coupler which can be easily and quickly uncoupled or coupled.

WVith these and other objects in yiew which will appear as the device is described,

the invention consists in the novel features and construction of parts as will appear in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings :F igure 1 is a top plan view of the car coupler; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section therethrough; Fig. 3 is .a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a bottom plan view; and Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

The right-hand draw-head is designated by the letter R and the left-h and draw-head by the letter L. The draw-head R is formed with the draw-bar space 1 by the top wall 2, the lower wall 3 and side walls 4: and 4:. The top wall 2 is provided with a retaining arm recess or depression 5 which is of semicircular formation at its inner end 6. The lower wall 3 is extended to form a retaining arm 7 which is of semicircular formation at its end similar to the semicircular formation of the depression 5. At the forward end of the draw-head .and below the depression 5, the top wall 2 is formed arcshape as shown at 8, beginning at the point 9 of the side wall 4 and continuing in an arc to the pivot bearing arm 10. The lower wall 3 is also of similar formation as shown at 11, thus providing an arcuate shoulder above the arm 7 and a pivot bearing arm 12 similar to the pivot bearing arm 10 of the top wall. A pivot pin 13 is arranged to extend through openings provided in the arms ran ed as shown in F i 4:.

1.0 and 12 and mounted upon this pivot pin is a draw-hook1at The draw-head L is formed with the draw-bar space 15 by the top wall 16, the lower wall 17 and the side walls 18-and 18. The top wall 16 is provided with a retaining arm 19 of a formation similar to the lower arm 7 of the draw-head R. The end of this extended arm 19 is of an arcuate formation similar to the wall 6 of the depression 5 and engaged with the wall 6 as shown. The lower wall 17 has a retaining arm recess or depression 20 of a semicircular formation at its inner end as at 21 into which the extended arm 7 of the draw-head R is ar- A draw-hook 14E identical in shape to the draw-hook lt is pivoted on the pivot hook 13. These drawhooks consist of an arm 22 and a head or hook 23, the faces 24 of which are curved in an arc and engaged with each other for securing the draw-heads together.

Locking pins 25 are provided which consist of the square shank 26 and an extension stud 27. A square opening 28 is provided in the top walls 2 and 16 of the draw-heads R and L for the reception of the locking pins while the lower walls 3 and 17 have the round openings 29 for the reception of the extension studs 27. Openings 30 are provided in the top of the locking pins 25 whereby chains or other means may be employed to secure the locking pins against loss or misplacement. After connecting the draw-heads together by means of the drawhooks 14. and 14L the locking pins 25 are inserted in their respective positions and, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, look the draw-hooks in position against the walls of the drawheads and positively hold their opposing faces 24 in engagement with each other until the pins are removed, whereupon the drawheads can easily be separated by merely pulling one against the other because of the pivotal mounting of the draw-hooks. It will also be evident from this construction that should the draw-bar of one of the draw-heads become accidentally disconnected, the draw-head would not fall to the ground or disconnect itself from the opposite draw-head because of the extended arms 7 and 19 and the depressions 5 and 20 which willretain the draw-head in position and thereby prevent derailing of cars or other accidents caused by falling draw-heads.

It will be observed that the engaging faces 24 of the draw-hooks are formed in an arc and the ends of the retaining arms 7 and 19 which are also curved to conform to the curvature of the Walls of the retaining arm recesses 5 and 20. By this arrangement any horizontal movement caused by thecars passing around a curve will be provided for Without any undue strain upon the coupler.

I claim p 1. A car coupling including a pair of drawheads, retaining arms disposed at the top of one and bottom of the other of said "dratvhead's and extending into recesses pro-- vided in the adjacent edges of said drawheads, and means for securing said retaining arms in said recesses.

2; A car coupling including a pair of drawheads, retaining arms disposed at the top of one and bottom of the other of said drawh'eads and extending into recesses provided in the adjacent edges of the drawhe'ads, a pair of 'dra'whooks mounted for horizontal swinging movement in said *dratvh'eads, and means for locking said dravvhooks in engagement.

3, A bar 'c'ouplin'g including a pair of draw-heads, an upper retaining arm provided at the top of one of said draw-heads, a recess provided at the top of the other of said draw-heads for receiving said upper 'retaining arms, a loWer retaining arm provid'ed on the other of said draw-heads, a recess provided in the bottom of said last mentioned draw-head for receiving said lower retaining arm, and a pair of drawhooks provided With curved engaging faces for coupling said pair of draw-heads together. I

4. A ear coupling including a pair of drawh'eads, the top Wall of one of said draW- heads and the bottom Wall of the other drawhead having extensions thereon, said extensions terminating in an enlarged and curved head, a'rcuate recesses formed in the adjacent top and bottom Walls of the draWheads ing edges of the top and bottom Walls being arouate'd, dr'aWhooks pivotally mounted in said chambers, the outer edges -of the bills of said hooks being curved and adapted to be engaged with the said arcuate 'Wall edges, and means for holding the drawhooks in engagement. v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JESSE G. GRIFFITH.

Copies or this patent my be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of "Patents, Washington, D. C. 

